Very poor service from apple regarding iMac (27-inch): AMD Radeon 6970M Video Card Replacement Program

Have you talked directly to Apple Support about this and have had them refuse service? Or is this just the dealer that's telling you that? If it's just the dealer, try talking directly to Apple Support, or make an appointment at an Apple Store, if you have one in your area, and explain the situation to them.

Regards.

You should bypass the dealer completely and contact Apple directly. You did not mention what country you are in, so please use the following link to get the correct AppleCare phone number. If you need to request to speak to a customer advocate that can assist.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HE57

You can try calling Apple Support, asking to speak with Customer Relations, and see if they can do anything, but if that's the policy, then that's the policy, as strange as it may appear to you and me. It may be something that AMD is requiring for them to accept that the card is defective and reimburse Apple for the repair, though what the reason behind it doesn't really matter when it comes to you not getting your computer repaired at no charge, obviously.

Regards.

Johan Thomsen wrote:

I have contacted apple in Denmark, which is the place to turn for my applecare, but the thing is that my technician has also contacted apple about the refund, but their answer is that: If their diagnostics test does not find any error regarding the gfx card even though it constantly freezes and those screens that I recorded and documented via youtube dont show on their test, then they wont do anything.

The annoying thing is that they stated that: Apple has determined that some AMD Radeon HD 6970M video cards used in 27-inch iMac computers with 3.1GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 or 3.4GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processors may fail, causing the computer’s display to appear distorted, white or blue with vertical lines, or to turn black. iMac computers with affected video cards were sold between May 2011 and October 2012.

Furthermore: If the iMac (27-inch) meets these requirements, Apple will replace the video card free of charge for three years after the first retail sale of the computer.

And my Imac is from October 2011 and all the information is correct to be able to be under that program, but their test refuses to accept the error even though it is completely visable is just beyond belief.

As I originally said, call AppleCare directly and ask to speak to a customer advocate. You need to be a little persistent and being pleasant will get you far. If you try to do so angrily this probably will get you nowhere. Asking for a refund is not reasonalble considering the age of the computer however getting it repaired might be.

I mean not to hickjack your thread, I just wanted to add my voice on the same issue. I started experiencing the same problem on my mid-2011 iMac 27 a week ago. I installed Windows 7, under BootCamp, and the issue remained (wanted to make sure if wasn't something odd on OSX causing it), so I took my machine to an Apple Certified Repair Center at the University were I work (in the U.S.).

I was able to show them the issue, under OSX and Windows 7. The screen goes with white perpendicular lines, or completely black after three to four minutes or playing World of Warcraft, a graphically demanding game). Yet, running the Apple tests (no AHT, but tests unavailable to us, only available to Apple certified technicians) do not show any failure. The technician at my university emailed me, and I quote:

If I cannot get it to fail one of their tests they refuse to acknowledge it needs replacement. (I contacted them earlier today and made sure of all possible ways to get the part.)

What choice do we have?

The main thing to remember is BE NICE as mad as you may be BE NICE. You will have much better luck if your computer falls within all the Apple Guidelines.

Good Luck.

Don

Don, I am beeing nice. I am not even upset yet.

It is the way that Apple is dealing with an Apple Authorized Service Provider what have me worried and puzzled, as it seems to be leading me no where. Apple is telling my university Authorized Service Provider that unless one of their tests fails they will not acknowledge there is a problem, on a machine with a video card that was determined (http://support.apple.com/kb/TS5167) to have problems.

Johan,

You need to tell the technicians to let the test run (graphics) for a longer period of time. The tech servicing my machine let it run for 22 hours and was able to register the failure. The replacement shipping approval is now "pending" from Apple (still keeping my fingers crossed). I was getting ready to give the go ahead to get the graphic card replaced and get charged for it. I really need the machine.

Seriously doubting future business with Apple, when it comes down to desktop/laptop computers.

Wanted to add. Brought my machine home yesterday, after graphic card was replaced. System working as expected, perfectly. Johan, insist. Ask technician to try all tests (there are many, many, many available to them), specifically those that relate *only* to the video card. Persist.

If the worse got to worse I was preparing to fork out the $400 cost for the card. That is a lot of money, for a so-so card, but it is Apple.

Ok now I am officially worried. My 27inch iMac presented this particular problem a couple weeks ago and it happened again the last 2 days. I have contacted apple and I am going to get my machine tested this Friday but hearing from you guys I doubt they can replicate the problem with their tests.